Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch escaped Miles the Monster on Sunday securing their spots in the second round of the Chase; Tony Stewart was not so lucky. Heading into the race weekend the 14 team knew it was going to be a tough climb to make the next round. As the race progressed and cars ahead of Tony in points had issues, there was a small glimmer of hope he would advance. Unfortunately, despite a hard fought 13th place finish he was eleven points shy and was eliminated.

NASCAR set the field by points after qualifying was rained out. Kevin started 6th, followed by Kurt 11th, and Tony 15th. Kevin had a fast car, quickly moving into the 3rd position. Around lap 33, his car began to smoke; the team pitted for what appeared to be a tire issue. After further inspection, the car was found to have a broken track bar mount and taken to the garage. Kevin rejoined the field on lap 79, forty-three laps down, finishing 37th. Luckily Kevin was locked into the next round with a win at New Hampshire proving a win in the Chase is important.

Kurt advanced to the next round of the Chase with a 15th place finish. Kurt struggled with the handling of the car, reporting to Tony Gibson that the car was tight on entry-loose on exit. Kurt ran around the 15th position most of the day unable to break into the top-10. The team never gave up trying to better the handling for Kurt, making adjustments on each pit stop. Kurt said after the race, "We are not here just to advance through the round, we are here to do well and be a force toward the front."

Tony Stewart had a solid day running inside the top-15 the majority of the race. During the long, green-flag run Tony settled into the 13th position. He made contact with the wall on lap 170. The car did not receive damage in the incident; just a scuff on the tire. Tony continued to run good lap times, but the leaders were quickly lapping the field. On lap 270 he went a lap down to Jimmie Johnson. The team elected to pit with 44 laps to go hoping for a caution before the conclusion of the race. Unfortunately, the caution did not come out, and he finished 13th. Tony told his team as he crossed the finish line. "That's all we had guys."

Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick, and Tony Stewart have six championships between them. Starting this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway, they will be going head to head with thirteen other drivers in pursuit of the 2016 Championship. Stewart-Haas Racing is one of the top teams in the series and has a good chance of two drivers making it to Homestead. The question is will they find the speed to beat the Toyotas of Joe Gibbs Racing and Martin Truex, Jr? It should be an exciting ten weeks of racing.

Kevin Harvick is a phenomenal driver and threat to win week in and week out. Kevin has had a dominant car despite a few hiccups with his pit crew. Rodney Childers always brings fast cars to the track and with wins at Phoenix and Bristol and thirteen top-5s, Kevin is one of the favorites to make it to the final four. When asked if the top teams will advance through the first round, Kevin responded, "You have to be able to overcome situations, capitalize on situations and you have to be able to perform for ten weeks in order to put yourself in position to win a championship."

Kurt Busch has been consistent most of the year with a win at Pocono and seventeen top-10 finishes. Kurt and his crew chief Tony Gibson are a winning combination. However, the team has struggled over the past few weeks and consistency may not be enough to get him into the final four at Homestead. Kurt said the team would approach the first round of the Chase with business as usual, "That is what I think is the best, easiest way to play to the strengths of this No. 41 car.”

Three-time Champion Tony Stewart overcame missing eight races to make the playoffs. Tony has a win at Sonoma and seven top-10s. Skeptics will say Tony is one of the dark horses but never count Smoke out as he proved in 2011. Tony has three wins at Chicagoland, one of those in his 2011 Championship year. This will be Tony's rookie crew chief Mike Barewicz's first Chase. Mike prepares good cars each week and works well with Tony. Regardless of how far Tony makes it in the Chase, this is an exciting way to end his Sprint Cup career. And with three of his team’s cars making it to the playoffs, I hope he enjoys every minute of it. Tony said to win a championship, "You have to be smart enough to know when and when not to push."

Mother Nature was not in favor of having a night race at Bristol Motor Speedway. The race was postponed after 48 laps due to storms. When the race resumed on Sunday afternoon; it was Kevin Harvick bringing home the trophy, scoring his second win of the season and the first for Stewart-Haas Racing at this track. Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch had strong cars, running in the top-10 the majority of the race. Tony Stewart and Danica Patrick did not fair as well running outside the top-30.

Kevin Harvick started in 24th, gaining twenty positions by the competition caution. Kevin had a 'Freaky Fast' race car despite some handling issues. He lead the race four times for a total of 128 laps. Kevin battled Kyle Busch for the lead on two separate occasions. On lap 391, Kevin did a 'bump and run' on Jimmie Johnson to take over second, then set his sights on Joey Logano. Kevin raced Logano hard for the lead with 96 to go. Kevin was able to drive to the low line and take the lead from Logano. Kevin dominated the last 71 laps and sealed the deal.

Danica Patrick would overcome handling issues to finish 22nd, her 12th top-20 finish of the year. Danica qualified the Nature’s Bakery Chevy in the 29th position on Friday. Danica was scored in 28th when the race resumed Sunday afternoon. She reported to Billy Scott that the car was tight and lacking grip. Danica ran outside the top-30 the majority of the race, losing laps to the leaders. The team continually worked on the handling of the car. Scott elected to take the 'wave around' during two caution periods in an attempt to get their laps back. Danica worked her way inside the top-20 before the race was red flagged for rain. When the race resumed, she was unable to advance any more positions finishing 22nd, four laps down.

“We just got off to a slow start and got ourselves in a hole right off the bat.” - Danica Patrick

Tony Stewart had a challenging day dealing with a tight race car, being boxed into his pit stall and then a tire issue. Tony reported to Mike Bugarewicz that he had a vibration on lap 200. Tony brought the car in for an unscheduled pit stop for what they suspected was a loose right wheel. Tony returned to the track, but the vibration got worse. The team discovered it was a broken, right-rear hub. Bugarewicz and Tony discussed calling it a day but elected to replace the wheel hub. Tony returned to the track 29 laps down finishing 30th.

"We just had a good time and enjoyed it" - Tony Stewart

Kurt Busch's record of completing every lap this year came to an end at Bristol after he was in a late race incident. Kurt qualified in the 14th position, restarting 17th on Sunday. Kurt had a fast car despite ill-handling. Kurt restarted in the 2nd position at lap 372. Kurt passed Joey Logano for the lead but unfortunately, Kurt got loose in front of Logano. The two made contact causing a multi-car incident. The car sustained too much damage to continue. Kurt would finish 38th, his first DNF since October 2014.

"I think I just missed the bottom groove by a few inches, got loose" - Kurt Busch

Following his win, Kevin asked Smoke to join him in celebrating with a victory lap. However, it turned into victory doughnuts as Kevin was unable to explain to Tony what he wanted to do through hand signals. Tony laughed as he explained that Kevin wanted him to leave his car on the track and ride with him to Victory Lane. A very special moment between friends.Follow and chat with me here: @Angief530​

Images Courtesy: SHR and NASCAR Mix Gram by Angie Fulgham

The Glen

August 7, 2016Tony Stewart took the checkered flag 5th at Watkins Glen International. The highest finishing position of all the Stewart-Haas cars. Tony qualified 3rd in the Haas Automation Chevy for his final race at the road course. Tony leaves ‘The Glen’ with an impressive record of five wins and eleven top-10s in sixteen starts. Tony was running in the top-5 until lap 10 when he missed the inner loop due to a wheel hop. After missing the loop, Tony was required to come to a complete stop before continuing. He lost ten positions dropping back to 16th. Tony apologized to the team for the mistake. He pitted under green for tires, fuel, and an air pressure adjustment on lap 23. Mike Bugarewicz elected to keep Tony on track under yellow to gain track position. Tony was in fuel conservation mode running in the top-5. With ten laps to go he was pushed out of line but luckily was able to maintain his position. Tony finished 5th scoring his 6th top-5 of the year. Tony was happy with his finish, although his thoughts were with his friend Bryan Clauson.

“Here were guys who had top-5 going into the last lap who couldn’t finish so we’ll take it.’’ - Tony Stewart

Kurt Busch finished 11th sporting his patriotic shoes and gloves in support of the US Olympic team. Kurt qualified 17th in the Haas Automation/Monster Energy Chevy. He moved into the 8th position by lap 26 despite an ill-handling race car. Kurt ran near the top-10 the majority of the race. Tony Gibson called him to the pits for fuel and a wedge adjustment during green flag pit stops. Tony Gibson told Kurt to conserve fuel. With under 20 laps to go, Kurt was running outside the top-15. He would pit under caution in the closing laps with most of the field, ruining the teams strategy. Kurt restarted 24th but was unable to improve many positions due to numerous cautions and restarts. With 3 laps to go, he was able to rally back to an 11th place finish. Kurt continues to be the only driver to complete every lap this year. Kurt is 3rd in the Chase standings, 38 points behind Brad Keselowski.

“We ended up behind and then had too many restarts and yellow flags at the end.” - Kurt Busch

Danica Patrick led eleven laps breaking her previous record of laps led by a female in a single race. Danica initially broke the record held by Janet Guthrie at Talladega in 2014 by leading seven laps. Danica started in the 31st position, finishing 21st in her Nature's Bakery Chevy. She reported to Billy Scott that the car was loose at the beginning of the race. She pitted during the caution on lap 14 for tires, fuel, and a chassis adjustment. The team elected to pit early in an attempt to complete the race with only two pit stops. During green flag pit stops, Danica quickly gained positions and was scored in 2nd by lap 29. She assumed the lead on lap 35 when the leader Joey Logano pitted. Danica would give up the lead on lap 45 to come to pit road. Billy Scott would use pit strategy once again to gain track position staying out during the caution on lap 52. Danica restarted 5th, however, as the field took the green flag she was shuffled out of line, dropping back to 23rd - throwing their strategy out the window. With seven laps remaining, Danica was caught up in an incident involving teammate Kevin Harvick. The car received left rear damage but luckily she was able to drive the car to pit road for repairs. Danica returned to the track and was able to gain six positions finishing in 21st.

"The race didn't go as well as we'd hoped, but we led some laps and were able to rally back at the end to get a decent finish considering the damage." - Danica Patrick

Kevin Harvick finished a disappointing 32nd after a late race incident on lap 83. Kevin qualified 15th in his Busch Beer Chevy. Rodney Childers brought the car to pit road on lap 21 in an attempt to use fuel strategy to win the race. As the other drivers made their green flag stops, Kevin moved into the 6th position. Unfortunately, Kevin's day would go downhill from there. He apparently ran through oil, locking his tires up and flat spotting one of them as he slowed down under caution. The team had to pit, causing Kevin to drop outside the top-30. Kevin attempted to rebound from the incident, however, with seven laps to go bad luck would strike again. As the field exited the 'bus stop', the cars in front of Kevin checked up due to dust cloud. Kevin was hit from behind and sent spinning around making contact with the front of David Ragan. The car was heavily damaged and Kevin was unable to continue. Kevin finished 32nd. Kevin is 2nd in the Chase standings, seven points behind Keselowski.

"Everybody on our Busch team did a great job today." - Kevin HarvickFollow and chat with me here: @Angief530​

Image courtesy: SHR and Kurt Busch, MixGram by Angie Fulgham

Stewart-Haas Triple ThreatAugust 1, 2016​Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, and Danica Patrick drove similar Mobile 1 color schemes making it a little difficult to tell them apart during the Pennsylvania 400 on Monday. Add dense fog and rain to the mix and forget about it. Kurt, Kevin, and Tony are a threat to win week in and week out. This week was no exception as the trio had a strong performance, all finishing in the top-10. Unfortunately, the race ended due to weather before they could challenge for the win.

Kurt Busch made NASCAR history on Monday by becoming the only driver to complete every lap in 21 consecutive races. Kurt qualified 15th but dropped to the rear after an unimproved body adjustment. In the usual Kurt fashion, he overcame the poor starting spot and was scored in the 28th position by the second lap. Kurt ran right outside the top-10 the majority of the race. Kurt moved into the 10th position in the closing laps but was unable to gain any more positions before the race ended.

“It’s nice to be in position to have completed all the laps” - Kurt Busch

Kevin Harvick started in the 17th position but had a fast car and was leading the race by lap 51. He ran in the top-5 the majority of the day. On the last pit stop of the day, Kevin pitted for four tires and fuel, restarting 18th. Kevin worked his way to the 4th position before the race was red flagged. Kevin remains the points leader.

“It seems like when we have a really fast car we just have weird circumstances.” - Kevin HarvickDanica Patrick started 26th and ran in the top-20 most of the race. Danica was caught speeding on pit road at lap 54 and forced to serve a pass-through penalty, putting her down a lap. She took the wave around on lap 65. Billy Scott told her to stay on track on lap 85 to gain track position. She restarted 13th but was unable to hold off the cars with newer tires. The car was getting faster in the closing laps. However, the race was red flagged due to weather before she could advance any positions. Danica finished in the 22nd position.

“I’m proud of the effort of all the guys on the Mobil 1 team today.” - Danica Patrick

Tony Stewart started 6th and finished 5th, scoring his seventh top-10 of the year. Tony ran outside the top-15 most of the day as he struggled with restarts. He stayed out during the caution at lap 88, gaining track position. During the last pit stop at lap 125, the team took two tires which moved him to the front. Tony settled into 5th as the race ended due to weather. Tony said he wasn't sure what would have happened if the race would have gone back green.

“We were kind of a yo-yo today. We’ll take a fifth place finish and be happy with it.” - Tony Stewart

July 17, 2016Stewart-Haas Racing had a dominant performance Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch have had solid performances posting a combined thirty top-10 finishes thus far. Tony Stewart has flexed his muscle finishing in the top-5 the last four races. Danica had a strong run this week as well. With three of the four cars locked into the playoffs, Stewart-Haas Racing may be a force to be reckoned with during the Chase.

Kurt Busch started 4th in his Haas Automation/Monster Chevy. Kurt had a fast car running in the top-5 the majority of the race despite handling issues. Tony Gibson made wedge and air pressure adjustments throughout the race to better the handling. During the restart with 24 laps to go, Kurt found himself three-wide on the outside of Keselowski. The cars made contact causing a left rear tire rub on the 41. The team hoped the tire rub would correct itself, but the tire continued to smoke. However, Kurt remained on the track. With 20 laps to go, Kurt made contact once again with Keselowski but this time, the left rear would go flat, sending Kurt into the wall. Kurt brought the car down pit road for tires. He was unable to rebound from the incident finishing 22nd. Despite his 22nd place finish, Kurt continued his streak of being the only driver to complete every lap this season. A statistic Kurt and Tony Gibson are proud of accomplishing. “Slipped up on too many restarts and no real rhythm” - Kurt Busch

Kevin Harvick finished 4th in his Jimmy Johns Chevy overcoming two setbacks on pit road. Week in and week out, Kevin has a fast race car that's capable of winning. During the competition caution, Kevin entered the pits from the 3rd position. He lost several spots as the air gun malfunctioned. Kevin left pit road in 11th working his way back into top-5 by lap 80. As the caution came out again it was a similar scenario on pit road but this time an issue with the left rear tire. Kevin expressed his aggravation and displeasure to Rodney Childers and the 4 team over his radio. Kevin would recover from his pit stop woes running in the top-5 with 30 laps to go. Kevin could not get up to speed on the restart with 11 laps to go losing a few positions. In the closing laps, Kevin tried to get around Joey Logano but was unsuccessful, taking the checkered flag in 4th.

Danica Patrick started 29th in her Nature’s Bakery Chevy and finished 14th, a career best at Loudon. She struggled with a loose race car early in the race, fading back a few spots. Despite the handling issues, Danica’s crew chief Billy Scott told her she was, ‘good in 3 to keep it up'. Danica pitted during the competition caution for four tires, a wedge, and air pressure adjustment. She ran outside the top-20 the majority of the race, going down a lap on lap 179. The team continued to make wedge adjustments to better the handling. During the caution on lap 218, Danica opted to take the wave around to get back on the lead lap. The team gained valuable track position. With 11 laps to go, Danica restarted in the 11th position. She was overtaken by cars with newer tires, losing several positions finishing 14th.

“Billy made a great call to take the wave around, and that helped put us in position to pick a ton of spots there at the end” - Danica Patrick

Tony Stewart had a solid day finishing 2nd in his Haas Automation Chevy. The team's strategy during the competition caution was to take two tires. Tony restarted 5th after the caution. However, the two tire strategy would not pan out as he quickly lost positions to teams that took four. Tony settled into the 18th position. He reported to Mike Bugarewicz that he was doing the best he could, the tires had given up. With 50 laps to go, he was running in the top-10. Tony was aggressively trying to pass Joey Logano with five laps to go. Tony made the pass on Logano, then set his sights on Matt Kenseth. Unfortunately, Tony ran out of laps before he could catch Kenseth to challenge for the win. Tony has finished in the top-10 in four of the last five races. Tony credits the team’s success to the chemistry he has with Mike Bugarewicz. Bugarewicz and Tony’s radio communication during the race is entertaining. I believe if they had worked together over the past three years we would have seen the No. 14 car with top-5 finishes every week.

“You could race all over the racetrack today. It was a fun race” - Tony Stewart

July 9, 2016​The Quaker State 400 had a little bit of everything; action, drama, suspense and intrigue. The track had a repaving and reconfiguration since last year. Many of the drivers, including Kurt Busch, hit the wall during practice raising concern for the teams. With the repave, new tires, low downforce rules and forty cars on the track, no one knew what to expect. But at the end of the day, the race would come down to fuel mileage. Who would be able to make it to the end?

The Stewart Haas teams had solid finishes during the event. Kurt Busch, Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick all finished in the top-10 and Danica Patrick 17th. Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch are strong each week, but as of late Tony Stewart is showing he can still get the job done. Kevin, Kurt and Tony are in the Chase as it stands now with eight races until it begins at Chicagoland Speedway. Danica is 24th in points and with a win would be locked in the Chase along with her teammates. Qualifying was canceled due to rain on Friday and the field was set by owner points. Kevin Harvick started from the pole, followed by Kurt Busch 3rd–who would move to the rear, Tony Stewart 22nd, and Danica Patrick 27th.

Kurt Busch started at the rear of the field in his Monster Energy/Haas Automation Chevy after crashing his primary car during practice. Kurt was dealing with a tight race car. Tony Gibson elected to pit during the caution on lap 12 for four tires and an air pressure adjustment. The team decided not to pit during the competition caution giving Kurt the lead. Kurt led ten laps before being passed by Kevin Harvick. Kurt began to fade as he continued to struggle with the handling of the car. Tony Gibson continued to make adjustments during each stop to improve the car. Kurt went into fuel conservation mode, as Tony Gibson told him they would be three laps short on fuel.

Kurt was in the 10th position with ten laps to go. As the cars ahead of Kurt began to pit for fuel, he stayed on track putting himself in a good position. Kurt was not alone; the top-9 drivers were all banking on the leader Brad Keselowski running out of fuel. And he did run out. However, Keselowski would ‘flip the switch’, giving him just enough fuel to win. Kurt was unable to gain any more positions taking the checkered flag in 4th.

“Everybody that puts their thumb and their effort on this No. 41 car, I’m very thankful for it” - Kurt Busch

Kevin Harvick led the first laps of his career at Kentucky Saturday night, for a total of 128 laps. Kevin had a dominant Busch Lite Chevy running in the top-5 the majority of the race. He reported to Rodney Childers that his car was tight. During the competition caution at lap 25, Kevin took right-side tires and fuel. Kevin won the race off pit road, but would restart second beside teammate Kurt Busch, who did not pit. Kevin regained the lead on lap 38. On lap 147, Kevin overshot his pit stall and had to back the car up, losing precious time. He took four tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment on the stop. He apologized to the team over the radio, but quickly rebounded from the mistake.

Kevin continued to show dominance taking over the lead again on lap 177. Kevin was livid with Martin Truex, Jr. for passing him on pit road during the caution with 74 to go. NASCAR would penalize Truex, Jr., with a pass-thru penalty. As the laps wound down, the 4 car lost grip and faded back. Kevin complained over the radio, “the tires arejunk”. Childers reported to Kevin that they were three laps short on fuel and would need to pit. Kevin brought the car to pit road with 17 to go for right-side tires and fuel. Kevin charged back towards the front but ran out of laps finishing 9th.

“All in all, it just came down to fuel mileage, and we couldn’t make it til the end.” - Kevin Harvick

Danica Patrick overcame damage on lap 91 to finish 17th in her Nature’s Bakery Chevy. Danica started 27th quickly moving up four positions before the competition caution on lap 25. Danica reported to Billy Scott that the car was ‘loose in one and tight going into turn three’. On the next pit stop, she took two tires and made a wedge adjustment.

At lap 91, Brian Scott spun in front of Chris Buescher and A.J. Allmendinger causing heavy damage to the cars. As Danica approached the wreck, she hit the oil and glanced the rear of Chris Buescher. She sustained slight damage to her left front. Scott would bring her to pit road to assess and repair the damage. Danica rejoined the field at lap 102 in 25th.The car was the best it had been all day; as she moved into the 20th position with 25 laps to go. Danica gained several more positions and finished 17th.

“We got out of here with a decent finish, all things considered.” - Danica Patrick

Tony Stewart finished 5th in the Rush Truck Centers/Mobil 1 Chevy in his 600th career start Saturday night. The 14 team had an uneventful race running mid-pack until the last 60 laps. Mike Bugarewicz reported to Tony that they were two laps short on fuel. Tony was in the 12th position when the team implemented fuel saving mode. Tony faded to 14th with 40 laps to go as he slowed earlier in the corners to conserve fuel. He was fighting a tight race car and would use fuel strategy to get a good finish.

Tony told Bugarewicz to let him know when they reached two laps to go so he could ‘flip the switch'. As the drivers ahead of Tony began to pit for fuel, he stayed on track gaining valuable track position. It was the perfect strategy. Unfortunately, Brad Keselowski had the same plan. As Keselowski slowed and weaved the car, it looked as though he was out of fuel. Keselowski’s crew chief told him to ‘flip theswitch', giving him enough fuel to win. Tony crossed the finish line 5th, a great points day for Smoke.

“I'd love to know how much fuel we have left in our car.” - Tony Stewart

July 2, 2016All four of the Stewart Haas drivers had high hopes for the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona. However, there would be no trophies leaving Daytona, only mangled race cars. Kurt Busch had the highest qualifying effort starting 10th, followed by Tony Stewart in 19th, Kevin Harvick in 21st and Danica Patrick in 22nd.

At the beginning of the race Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick and Danica Patrick were struggling with ill-handling race cars. Tony Stewart dropped to the rear of the field to hopefully avoid trouble.

​The competition caution came out at lap 20. Kurt Busch’s strategy was a two tire stop to gain track position. The team’s strategy would backfire. Busch pulled into his pit stall but was blocked by the car in front of him causing him to lose track position. Following the pit stops Busch, Harvick and Stewart were all running outside the top-20.

“If the 11 and 41 are running back here, it must be pretty sketchy up front”. - Tony Stewart

Troubles again on pit road at lap 68 for the Stewart Haas team, but this time for Danica Patrick. Patrick completed her stop. However, NASCAR officials claimed she drove through too many pit stalls and required her to serve a pass-thru-penalty. She served her penalty at lap 73 and rejoined the race in the 37th position one lap down.The race was calm until the halfway point. As the drivers made their move towards the front, the race began to get dicey.

The “Big One” happened at lap 89. Jamie McMurray was on the outside lane and came across the nose of Jimmie Johnson. McMurray then made contact with the 42 of Kyle Larson possibly cutting his tire. The cars began to check up in front of Johnson. Johnson had so much momentum he was unable to avoid running into the back of McMurray. The multi-car incident left 22 mangled cars littering the track including Patrick and Harvick. Dale, Jr hit Patrick in the rear sending her sideways. Many cars made contact with Patrick before she slid down the track. Kevin Harvick, who was running mid pack at the time, ran into the back of the 44 of Brian Scott. The impact forced Harvick’s car underneath the 44 so far that Scott’s tires were on Harvick’s roof. Luckily, Patrick was able to drive the car to pit road for repairs. Harvick’s car sustained too much damage to continue and would finish 39th.

And then there were two, Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch were able to avoid the multi-car accident. On lap 101 Busch restarted 4th, Stewart 17th and Patrick was back on track in 27th. Patrick’s car began to smoke and would be taken to the garage to replace the rear end housing.

With 43 laps to go, Kurt Busch was on the high line still running in 4th. A debris caution came out with 30 laps to go, most of the leaders would pit for fuel only. Kurt Busch took fuel only restarting 3rd with Stewart behind him in 5th. Stewart was in good shape gaining twelve positions on pit road. Danica rejoined the race on lap 133 after returning from the garage for repairs.

“It's just unfortunate that we were in the wrong place at the wrong time.” - Danica Patrick

Stewart moved to the outside line with 15 to go behind Kurt Busch. Tony Stewart’s car got loose on lap 149 sending him hard into the outside wall. Casey Mears and Carl Edwards had nowhere to go both making heavy contact with Stewart as his car got sideways on the track. Stewart’s day was over as his race car sat helplessly on the track. Stewart finished a disappointing 26th but was able to move to the 11th spot in the Chase standings.

“I just over corrected for it and drove it into the fence.” - Tony Stewart

And then there was one. The caution came out with five laps to go putting the race into overtime. As the cars lined up for the final time it was up to Kurt Busch to bring home the win for Stewart Haas Racing. Busch was in the fourth position with two laps to go. As the cars approached the checkered flag, Kurt Busch was hit from behind by Joey Logano and sent sliding across the infield grass. Kurt would finish 23rd followed by Danica in 27th.

June 26, 2016The Stewart Haas teams had a solid weekend in Sonoma, but it was Tony Stewart’s day to shine, landing his first win in 84 starts. Kevin Harvick finished 6th, Kurt Busch 10th and Danica Patrick 19th during the “Save Mart 350”. Kevin continues to lead the Chase standings over teammate Kurt Busch by 35 points.

Kurt Busch overcame grip issues to finish 10th in the No. 41 Monster Energy Haas Automation Chevy. Kurt started in the 4th position, quickly overtaking Martin Truex, Jr. for the 3rd position. Kurt’s car was strong in the beginning laps, however the car soon began to fade. Kurt radioed to Tony Gibson that the car had no rear grip. Kurt brought the car into the pits at lap 21 for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment. The adjustment improved the handling of the car and he soon began gaining track positions. He was scored in the 8th position by lap 40. The 41 team continued to make air pressure adjustments throughout the race. During the course of the race, Kurt fell back as far as the 22nd position. After each pit stop, Kurt was able to work his way back through the field. Kurt would finish 10th, his 14th top-10 of the season.

“We battled really hard. I was somewhat surprised by the lack of grip in the rear of the car.” - Kurt Busch

Kevin Harvick started in the 25th position Sunday, but quickly worked his way up into the top-10 by lap 22. Kevin took over the lead at lap 30. Rodney Childers’ strategy was to try and complete the race on only two pit stops. Kevin brought the Mobil 1 Chevy to pit road at lap 32, taking four tires and fuel. He reentered the race in 18th, continuing to run in the top-10. Kevin pitted during the caution for tires, fuel and wedge adjustments. He continued to charge towards the front, but was unable to crack the top-5, finishing in the 6th position.

“We fought all day on pit road and got a decent finish out of it.” - Kevin Harvick

Danica Patrick had a strong race car starting in the 11th position in her Nature’s Bakery Chevy. Danica said before the green flag dropped that she needed to be more aggressive on the track. Early in the race Danica was making defensive moves battling for positions. On lap 4 Danica was following Brad Keselowski. Danica went wide in an attempt to pass Brad making contact with Casey Mears. A few laps later, she found herself in another dicey situation with Ryan Newman battling for the 7th position. By lap 20, Danica had dropped back into the 17th position. She reported to Billy Scott that the car needed help in the braking zones. She pitted at lap 23 for tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment, but remained outside the top-20. Danica lead three laps before pitting at lap 75. Danica had a solid day, unfortunately she was unable to break into the top-15 and would finish in the 19th position.

“The No. 10 Nature’s Bakery Chevrolet was great all weekend and it’s just disappointing we weren't able to get a better finish.” - Danica Patrick

On Friday it seemed Tony Stewart was mad at the world, but come Sunday afternoon he was on top of it. Tony qualified 7th in the Code 3 Associates/ Mobil1 Chevy for his last start at one of his favorite tracks, Sonoma. Tony had a solid race, running in the top-10 most of the day. He was racing outside the top-15 with about 28 to go when Tony's crew chief Mike Bugarewicz had a plan. Bugarewicz suggested pitting early to regain track position in the hopes there would be a caution. The other option would be to ride where they were and settle for a finish top-15. Tony agreed to go with the pit strategy and brought the car down pit road for an unscheduled stop. The pit strategy would pay off as one lap later the caution flag waved for debris. “I can't ask for any more than the position I'm in guys,” Tony told Bugarewicz.

Tony took the lead with 22 laps to go. Tony was great on restarts holding off Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex,Jr. and Kyle Busch until the last lap. As the white flag waved, Denny had reeled the 14 car in. As the two cars approached turn 7, Bob Jeffrey, Tony's long time spotter, told him to be ready for the dive. Tony knew it was coming. As they entered the turn, Denny gave Tony a shove causing Tony to go wide. Denny then dove under him to the lead. The calm voice in Tony’s ear said “get him back ”. Tony charged back, catching Hamlin as they approached the final turn. Tony got to the inside of Hamlin making contact, booting Hamlin into the wall. Tony continued on in his battered Chevy taking the checkered flag.

“With about eight to go it was the first time I thought ‘hey, we might actually have a shot to hold onto this’, and I actually got a little bit emotional thinking about it while I was driving.” - Tony Stewart

Tony was not alone. Those last laps were an emotional roller coaster. Tony has been through so much during the past few years. Seeing him in victory lane was not only a victory for Smoke, but for his family, his team and everyone who has supported him during his career. In Victory Lane the smile on his face said it all. The weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders. To echo the crowd at Sonoma on Sunday afternoon...Tony! Tony! Tony! We are proud of you Champ!

June 12, 2016​We saw exciting restarts, slipping and sliding, speeds of over 200 mph with the low downforce package and smaller spoilers at Michigan International Speedway. Tony Stewart had the best starting position of all the Stewart Haas cars–qualifying 3rd. He was followed by Kurt Busch in 17th, Danica Patrick in 25th and Kevin Harvick in 29th. Tony had a solid day finishing in 7th, a season's best. Kevin and Kurt struggled at the beginning of the race but both rallied back to top-ten finishes. Danica would overcome a challenging day to finish 21st. Kevin leads the Chase standings with a 30-point advantage over teammate Kurt going into Sonoma.

Kurt Busch started 17th in the Haas Automation/Monster Energy Chevy. Kurt and the 41 team were hoping for a great weekend following their victory at Pocono. Unfortunately, Kurt fought an ill-handling race car from the beginning. Tony Gibson brought the car into the pits throughout the day to try to improve the handling for Kurt. The 41 team came in for four tires, fuel, wedge and air pressure adjustments. This helped at the beginning of the runs, but the car would always transition back to loose. Kurt was quickly losing his patience over the radio. By lap 69 Kurt was in the 9th position although he continued to fight an ill-handling car. During pit stops on lap 150, Kurt pitted for right side tires and fuel returning to the track in the 14th position. Kurt was 13th with fifteen laps to go and would gain three more positions to finish 10th.

Kevin Harvick had a difficult qualifying session on Friday at Michigan with the caution coming out during his first two attempts. Kevin would have to settle for a disappointing 29th starting position in his Outback Steakhouse Chevy. Kevin ran near the back of the pack early on due to difficulty passing. The caution came out on lap 46 catching Kevin one lap down. He would take the wave back around onto the lead lap in the 18th position. Kevin worked his way up to 13th and by the halfway point he was charging towards the front. At lap 101, Kevin once again became a casualty of the caution flag, putting him one lap down. Rodney Childers brought the car in for four tires and fuel at lap 149. The fast stop by the 4 team gained Kevin much needed track position. On the final restart Kevin was 3rd, but the car got loose causing him several positions. Kevin finished a hard fought 5th.

“Everybody kept digging, we got a good finish out of it 5th place.” - Kevin Harvick

Danica Patrick started in the 25th position in her Nature’s Bakery Chevy at Michigan International Speedway. Danica would quickly lose five spots as she battled an ill-handling race car. The team pitted on lap 39 for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment. Danica ran around the 25th position the majority of the race. At lap 106 she was scored in 13th, however the car was too loose and she was unable to maintain this position. Billy Scott made adjustments throughout the day to try to improve the handling of the car. Late in the race at lap 155, Casey Mears, who was ten laps down at time, got loose and drifted up the track making contact with Brian Scott then sliding into Danica’s path. Danica held the car off the wall, but was clipped in the left front corner by Brian Scott. The team pitted to repair the damage to the nose of the car. She would return to the track in the 27th position. Danica would gain six more positions and finish 21st.

“We'll take the off weekend to recharge and dig deep to try and do better moving forward.” - Danica Patrick

Tony Stewart was the fastest of all the Stewart Haas cars Friday, qualifying a season's best of 3rd. Tony was very pleased with the setup on his No.14 Rush Truck Centers/Mobil 1 Chevy. At the beginning of the race, Tony told the 14 team and crew chief Mike Bugarewicz, “Let's have some fun today.” For Smoke and his fans it was just that, a fun day. It was great to watch him race like old-school Tony running in the top-5. Tony was on pit road when the caution waved at lap 101 catching him one lap down. He would take the wave around back into 4th position. With about 50 laps to go, Tony started having some handling issues and dropped to 11th. The team made adjustments during the next pit stop. Tony charged back towards the front finishing in 7th. Tony leaves Michigan 35th in points.

“From start to finish it's been solid and that is what we are looking for right now. I'm tickled to death.” - Tony Stewart

June 6, 2016Stewart Haas Racing had a strong showing this weekend at Pocono. During qualifying on Friday for the Axalta “We Paint Winners 400”, Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart all qualified in the top-10. Danica Patrick would start 33rd. Due to rain on Sunday NASCAR was forced to postpone the race until Monday afternoon. Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch were strong at the drop of the green flag, both having a solid day. Tony Stewart and Danica Patrick would not fare as well. Pocono is known for being a fuel mileage race. For Kurt Busch and interim crew chief John Klausmier their fuel mileage strategy would prove to pay off in a big way.

Kurt Busch started in the 9th position in his 41 Haas Automation/ Monster Energy Chevy. Kurt said the car was a little tight off turn one at the beginning of the race. During the competition caution at lap 15 the 41 team would make an air pressure adjustment to the right front, four tires and fuel. Kurt had a strong car running in the top-10 throughout the race.

Kurt’s crew chief Tony Gibson was not at Pocono after being suspended due to a lug nut infraction last week at Dover. Interim crew chief John Klausmier, decided to push the fuel milage envelope and bring the car in for fuel with 40 laps to go. Kurt was in 4th place and according to the team's calculations, 2 laps short on fuel. With 33 laps to go, there was a drag race for the lead down the straightaway between Kurt, Chase Elliott and Dale, Jr.

Kurt Busch would lead the final 32 laps with Dale, Jr. in hot pursuit, well aware Kurt was low on fuel. Kurt was pushing in the clutch coasting throughout the final laps to save fuel while maintaining a 1.30 second lead over the 88 car. The tension was building as the white flag waved. Would Kurt Busch make it? Kurt not only had enough fuel to win the race but enough to celebrate with victory doughnuts.

“I was like, whoa, how many laps shy are we?” -- Kurt Busch ​Kevin Harvick started 4th in his Jimmy Johns Chevy Monday afternoon. Kevin had a fast car and quickly moved into the 2nd position. He complained that the car was loose in and tight on exit. During the competition caution at lap 15 Kevin was penalized for speeding on pit road. He would go to the rear and restart in the 35th position. Kevin rebounded from the penalty working his way up to 15th position by lap 36.

The 4 car was “Freaky Fast” but tight. Rodney Childers made adjustments the entire race to improve the handling of the race car. Kevin was in the 4th position on lap 80 however he lost several positions during his pit stop when the 4 team chose to take four tires instead of two. Kevin came out of the pits in 23rd quickly working his way back through the field. Unfortunately, he ran out of laps and would finish 9th. Despite his sub-par finish, Kevin is still the points leader after 14 races.

Danica Patrick started 33rd in her Nature's Bakery Chevy on Monday. The competition caution came out at lap 15. Danica came in for tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment. Danica reported to Billy Scott that she had a possible brake issue. By lap 28 Danica had moved into the 17th position. The 10 team adjusted the brake bias during pit stops, however Danica felt the brake problem was not improving. Danica was scored in the 16th position and it looked as though she was going to have a strong finish.

Unfortunately, that all changed on lap 93. Tony Stewart was three wide in front of Danica on the restart between Kyle Larson and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. Tony's car became loose sending him into the wall, collecting Danica. Danica then clipped the 38 of Landon Cassill ending his day. She brought her car down pit road to assess the damage. The team made repairs on pit road and Danica reentered the race on lap 103 in the 35th position, six laps down. After a few laps Danica took the car to the garage to repair the left front suspension. Danica was back on track at lap 116 in 34th position. She gained two more spots and finished 32nd.

Tony Stewart had his best start of the year at Pocono in his 14 Bass Pro Chevy Monday, rolling off 6th. Tony complained his car was tight in the center of the corner early in the race. Tony pitted during the competition caution for four tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment on the right rear. Tony ran in the top-10 the first half of the race.

It looked as though Smoke was going to have a solid finish and a good points day until the restart on lap 93. Tony was racing three wide between Kyle Larson and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. when his car became loose sending him into the wall, collecting Danica Patrick. The 14 car had to be taken to the garage for extensive repairs. The team worked hard on repairing the car and Tony was back on the track at lap 121 in the 38th position. Tony's car was still fast despite the damage. Tony was able to gain 4 more positions and finish 34th.

This weekend the Stewart Haas team travels to the Irish Hills of Michigan for the FireKeepersCasino 400.